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Saturday, December 14, 2013

Dec 14 2013 Philippine Suertres/Swertres Tips and Lotto Results

Causes of poverty
A LAW EACH DAY (KEEPS TROUBLE AWAY) By Jose C. Sison (The Philippine Star) | Updated December 13, 2013 - 12:00am

The hefty power rate hike approved by the Energy Regulatory Board (ERB) gives us another concrete proof why 90% of Filipinos are still poor and why our poverty problem will not be solved. Obviously, this rate increase enables the giant electric monopolies to maintain their profits at the expense of the consumers especially the poor sector whose meager earnings will be further diminished. It confirms without doubt that the “tyranny of capitalism” is the main cause of the unequal distribution of wealth as pointed out by Pope Francis in his recent Apostolic Exhortation, “Evangelii Gaudium.”

Aggravating the situation is the present government’s full support to this type of tyranny through the ERB which approved the impending sharp hike in the electric rate despite consumers’ mounting protests against it especially at this time of the year. Even worse is that the ERB might have approved the increase despite the reported collusion among the power plants to create an artificial power shortage resulting in the more expensive power supply.

Assuming that our economy is supposed to be improving as repeatedly claimed by this administration in its press releases, the reality is that only the 10% of our population composed of the business elite and the rich are enjoying the much acclaimed economic boom. Obviously our financial system still promotes the “trickle down economy” where the supposed progress has not been felt by the great majority of our populace which remains below poverty level. Hence our poverty problem has not been solved.

And our poverty problem will never be solved also because of politics and corruption in our government. This twin menace reared their ugly heads once more in the midst of the recent deadly and destructive calamities occurring in our country particularly in the central Visayas. What is so revolting here is that even at the height of the sufferings and deaths of our people and devastations caused on our land, our government officials still resort to these deplorable practices.

It is really so disgusting to learn only now, more than a month after the super typhoon, about the videotaped conversations between Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Mar Roxas and Tacloban Mayor Alfredo Romualdez during a planning session before the super typhoon made a landfall, and immediately thereafter, on the possible courses of action to protect and help the victims. Whether or not the tape was spliced, one thing is clear and undeniable during such meetings — even in the face of an impending disaster, and up to now, our government officials are still playing politics in the performance of their functions.